Michael Mike Stein

Michael Stein was born in 1925 in New York City, graduated from Valley Forge Military Academy 1942 and from Harvard College 1946, married Louise Rosenberg in 1948 and, thus, began one of the most idyllic marriages ever known that lasted 64 years until Louise passed away on May 24, 2013. For Mike, life without Louise lost most of its meaning.

In 1948, Mike joined the Bali company, a family business started by his mother and father, Sara and Sam Stein, became president in 1955, and later took the company public after considerably expanding its manufacturing base and international sales. Under Mike, Bali became the unquestioned leader in its industry. Even so, Mike delighted in telling audiences the "Sara and Sam" story, how they started the business with $39 on the front porch of a little bungalow on a dirt street in Brooklyn.

Apart from business, Mike devoted himself with considerable passion to the fields of healthcare, public service and foreign policy, focusing on Israel and the Middle East. His first job as head of a philanthropic agency came when he was only 36 years old and was selected to become the founding president of the Gustave Hartman YM-YMHA. Eventually he became a Vice President of the Associated Y's of greater NY, the parent agency.

In healthcare, Mike became the youngest trustee upon joining the board of the Long Island Jewish Medical Center in 1963. There he rose quickly through the ranks, chairing major committees, and became the first Vice Chairman of the Medical Center. Mike was also a founding trustee of the Community Health Program of Queens and Nassau and served on the board of the Children's Medical Fund of New York. This led to the creation of its Children's Hospital. Mike chaired the committee that planned the Children's Hospital and helped oversee the process that led it to become one of the finest medical facilities for children in the country.

After becoming a Florida resident in 1978, Mike became a founding trustee of the Morse Geriatric Center in West Palm Beach and of the Kramer Senior Resource Center. He was appointed a Medical Care Commissioner of the Town of Palm Beach and served in that capacity throughout the term of the commission. He continued working on health care for his community by chairing the Health Care Committee of the Palm Beach Civic Association where he also served on its executive committee. Mike's other communal activities in Florida included secretary-treasurer of the Palm Beach Police Foundation, president of the Palm Beach Country Club and chairman of the Palm Beach board of the Florida Philharmonic orchestra.

Mike was perhaps best known in his community for his work on behalf of Israel and the United States/Israel relationship. The founding of the state of Israel in 1948 had great meaning for him. He was a leader in philanthropic fundraising for Israel both in his community and his industry. Mike became a national officer of AIPAC in 1973 after organizing support for Israel during the Yom Kippur war. He served in that capacity until 1985 when he and his dear friend and colleague, Barbie Weinberg, founded the Washington Institute for Near East policy. The Institute is an educational foundation dedicated to helping foreign service officers and others engaged in foreign policy to better understand the facts and realities of the Middle East and the importance of the US - Israel relationship in achieving American interests in that region. He served the Institute as its president for 8 years, then chairman, and finally Chairman emeritus. Mike's interest in Israel also led him to become involved with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem where he served on its Board of Regents and was awarded an honorary Fellowship in 2008.

The singular quality that drove Mike Stein was "passion" for a cause he deemed worthwhile. Now he has taken his passion with him in search of Louise, where they will lie side by side under a headstone that says "together forever". Mike said many times that he has had a long and very good life, the best possible 64 year marriage to Louise and no regrets except to leave his many works of passion, his colleagues whose friendships he cherished, and his wonderful family that demonstrated the ultimate in love and caring, especially during the final days of his and Louise's lives. He is survived by his children, Linda and Martin Waldman, and Robert Stein; his grandchildren, Jason Waldman, Jackie and Steve Berlowski, Alea Stein, Sylvie Stein and his great-grandchildren, Madison Waldman and Tyler Berlowski to whom he bequeaths a world full of wonders and his blessings for a good life in which they might occasionally think of mamaLouise and papaMike and the very special love they all shared. Online Condolences may be offered at www.starofdavidfunerals.com

Funeral Services 11:00 a.m., Sunday, November 10, 2013 at Temple Beth-El, 2815 North Flagler Drive, West Palm Beach, Florida. Interment to follow at the STAR OF DAVID CEMETERY OF THE PALM BEACHES, 9321 Memorial Park Road, West Palm Beach, FL 33412 (561) 627-2277